The King of Winter
by ejwalker
Summary: Two brothers, once best friends. Now Lyon hides from everyone, and Gray doesn't understand why. Will Lyon's secret destroy their whole kingdom?
1. Chapter 1

Dusk fell, and snow-covered mountains threw shadows across a frozen lake. A group of men harvested ice, singing as they worked. Nearby, a little silver-haired girl and a reindeer calf watched, sharing a carrot.

The men loaded blocks of ice onto a large sled hitched to huge horses. A chunk slipped off, and the girl scampered over. "I'll get it!"

The men smiled at her and nodded, even though the piece of ice was so small they wouldn't have bothered to pick it up themselves.

The little girl wrestled the ice onto her much smaller sled, pulled by her reindeer friend.

With lanterns lit, the big sled moved away into the night. The sky was not dark, however, but filled with shining rivers of light.

"Go, Rudy!" called the little girl, climbing onto the sled beside the ice. The young reindeer started trotting after the big sled.

* * *

In a nearby castle, a little white-haired boy was asleep, but his younger brother was not.

"Lyon? Hey, Lyon!" Receiving no answer to his whispers, the black-haired boy climbed onto the bed. "Wake up, wake up, wake up," he insisted, bouncing on his brother with each repetition.

Lyon stirred. "Go back to sleep, Gray," he grumbled without opening his eyes.

Gray shook his head. "No! The sky's awake, so I'm awake, so we have to play!" He spread his arms and flopped down on his brother, eliciting a grunt.

"Go play by yourself, then." Lyon squirmed until Gray tumbled off the bed and fell on his rear with a plop.

The younger boy sighed, then his face brightened and he jumped back onto the bed, poking Lyon in the ribs. "Don't you wanna build a snowman?"

Lyon's eyes opened, and a smile spread across his face.

The boys pulled on their snow boots and pattered down the hall to the ballroom.

"Come on, come on," said Gray impatiently.

"Shh!" Lyon hissed.

The boys reached the ballroom and pulled the doors shut behind them.

"Do the magic now!" Gray said.

Lyon waved his hands together in circular motions until a frosty aura appeared around them. "Ready?"

Gray nodded.

Lyon flung his hands up toward the ceiling and the air filled with snowflakes.

Gray ran in circles, grabbing at the snow. "Way cool!" he yelled.

Lyon laughed. "Watch this!" He stomped his foot and a layer of ice spread out over the ballroom floor.

Together the boys slid across the floor. They built a snowman, then threw themselves into Lyon's snow banks.

"Where's your shirt?" snickered Lyon.

Gray looked down at himself in surprise. His pajama top was missing. "I dunno."

"Aren't you cold?"

Gray shrugged. "No. I bet you aren't, either."

"I have ice magic, so of course I'm not cold. Find your shirt and put it on so you won't get sick," Lyon ordered.

Gray stuck out his tongue. "Bossy pants." He stomped off to find the shirt.

"Hey, don't call me bossy pants while you're dropping yours in the snow!"

Having recovered his pajamas, Gray stood at the top of a snow hill and called to his brother, "Catch me!" He leaped out into mid-air.

Lyon formed another snow hill beneath Gray. "Gotcha!"

"Again!"

Lyon made more piles of snow as Gray bounded around the ballroom without pausing. Lyon started to feel like he couldn't keep up. "Wait!"

But Gray kept going.

"Slow down!" Lyon said in frustration. He took a step and slipped on the icy floor. "Gray!"

Gray had already jumped. Lyon flung out his hand to catch his brother with another snow mound, but the frosty magic hit the younger boy in the head. Gray fell to the floor, unconscious.

Lyon scrambled up and ran over, pulling Gray into his arms. "Gray?" He saw a streak in Gray's hair, shining white amidst the black. "Mother!" he shouted in panic.

Ice spikes grew from the floor and walls, glittering ominously all around the room.

"You're okay, Gray," Lyon murmured to his brother. "I got you..."

The doors flew open, and a woman rushed into the room, with dark hair and a crown. She gaped at her sons and the frozen ballroom. "Gray! Lyon, what have you done?"

"It was an accident," protested Lyon, trying not to cry. He looked down at his brother. "I'm sorry, Gray..."

The queen hurried to the boys and took Gray. "He's as cold as ice..."

"Queen Ul?" A sleepy-looking servant stood in the doorway, his bright blue hair sticking out in all directions. His bathrobe hung crooked over his nightshirt. "Can I... er, do you need anything?"

The queen thought for a moment. "Yes, Jellal. I need a book from the library. It's really old and written in runes, and it has a map in its pages..."


	2. Chapter 2

Queen Ul rode her horse through the forest at a gallop, with Gray in front of her and Lyon hanging on behind. Gray still hadn't woken up, and Lyon was so upset that a trail of ice formed on the ground behind the horse's pounding hooves.

None of them noticed the little girl as they passed her, but she certainly noticed them. "Ice?" She watched the horse racing away, then climbed onto her reindeer's back to follow.

After a while they reached the edge of a deep valley, and the girl hopped down. The reindeer started on without her. "Rudy!"

The little reindeer stopped and came back. The two of them hid behind a rock and watched as the queen and her boys got off their horse.

"Please, help my son!" Ul called. "Please..."

Lyon scooted closer to his mother and grabbed her skirt as rocks all around the valley began rolling toward them. The rocks stopped and unfolded into creatures with arms, legs, and faces.

"It's the queen," murmured one of them.

"Trolls?" said the little girl behind the rock.

That rock unfolded too, and whispered, "Shush, I'm trying to listen!" Then it seemed to notice who it was talking to and grabbed both the little eavesdroppers in a motherly hug. "Aw, so cute! I think I'll keep you. I'm Bulda."

The reindeer licked the female troll's face happily.

The other trolls parted, letting a very old troll approach Ul. He nodded respectfully to her. "Your majesty." His eyes found Lyon. "Was he born with the powers or cursed?"

"Born," Ul replied. "And he's getting stronger."

The old troll motioned for her to let him examine Gray. The queen knelt in front of him and he placed a gentle hand on the boy's head.

"You are lucky it wasn't his heart," said the troll. "The heart is not easily changed, but the head can sometimes be persuaded. I recommend removing all magic from him, even from his memories."

"Do whatever you have to," urged Ul.

The troll made a pulling motion, and misty images hovered around Gray's head. Lyon recognized himself and Gray playing in snow-covered rooms in their pajamas. He couldn't recall how many times they'd done that.

"Don't worry," the troll chuckled. "I'll leave the fun." He brushed his fingers through the images, and the scenes changed to show the boys outside, dressed in proper winter clothing. Then the images disappeared back into Gray's head.

"He'll be okay now," said the old troll.

"But he won't remember I have powers?" asked Lyon.

"I think this is for the best," the troll comforted him. "Your power will only grow. There is beauty in it, but also great danger." He pointed to the sky above them, where the aurora borealis still danced and shone through the night.

Pictures appeared there. A figure that might be Lyon waved its arms around, making swirls of beautiful blue snowflakes. But then spears of ice exploded outward, shining with a harsh, red light.

Lyon gasped and ducked behind his mother, hiding his face against her back.

"You must learn to control it," the old troll said softly. "Fear will be your biggest enemy."

Ul reached around and pulled Lyon in front of her, hugging him close. "I'll protect you. I know you can learn to control it. Until then, we can lock the gates. We'll reduce the staff and limit your contact with people. We can hide your powers from everyone. Even Gray."

Lyon nodded. Especially Gray. He couldn't bear it if he hurt his brother again.

* * *

Gray trotted around the castle, watching in puzzlement as doors and windows were closed up tightly. He ran down the hall just in time to see Lyon disappearing behind a door... the door to Lyon's new room. The door shut firmly.

Gray wandered off to play by himself, not understanding why all this was happening.

* * *

Gray peered out a window, his face lighting up at the sight of falling snow. He rushed to Lyon's door and knocked. "Lyon? It's snowing! Come on, let's go build a snowman!"

There was no answer.

"I never see you anymore," complained Gray. He tried to peek under the door, but saw nothing. He sighed and went to his own room, which seemed empty without his brother's things.

"It's like he's gone away somewhere," the younger boy grumbled. "I wish he would tell me why we aren't buddies like we used to be."

It wasn't long before Gray was back at Lyon's door, peeking through the keyhole (he still saw nothing) and talking into it. "Don't you wanna build a snowman? Or we could build something else. It doesn't have to be a snowman..."

"Go away!" Lyon yelled through the door.

Gray left, looking as dejected as only a small child can.

* * *

Lyon sat alone in his room, looking out the window. He suddenly jerked back. The windowsill was covered in ice.

Ul brought him a pair of gloves. "These will help."

Lyon pulled on the gloves and relaxed a tiny bit.

"See?" said Ul, patting his hand. "Conceal it..."

Lyon nodded. "Don't feel it..."

"Don't let it show," they said together.


	3. Chapter 3

Four years later...

Gray knocked on Lyon's door. "Wanna build a snowman? Or ride our bikes around the hall?"

No answer.

Gray wandered off to the portrait room, disappointed. "I think some company is overdue."

He paused by a picture of a lady in armor. The placard at the bottom of the frame read, 'Joan of Arc.' He wasn't sure who she was, but he often thought she might be an ancestor of their servant, Erza. The red-haired woman had only his best interests at heart, but she could be kind of scary at times.

"Hi, Joan. It's too quiet around here. Got any idea what I should do?"

"You should put your clothes back on," said Erza, scowling at him as she walked by the door with a stack of folded sheets. "And stop talking to the paintings."

"Y-yes, Erza," Gray stammered, snatching up the clothes he'd removed without noticing.

He went and planted himself on his back at the foot of the grandfather clock in the library, where he watched the pendulum swing and made tick-tock noises with his tongue.

* * *

Lyon, almost a teenager, paced his room in panic. "My magic's getting stronger!"

"Getting upset only makes it worse. Calm down." Ul reached out to her son.

Lyon flinched and backed up a few steps. "No! Don't touch me."

Ul gave him an injured look.

"Please," said Lyon. "I... I don't want to hurt you."

The queen's expression relaxed a little bit. "It's alright. I understand," she said sadly.

* * *

Six years later...

Gray slid down the hall right past Lyon's room without stopping. He looked down and wondered where his shoes had gone, then shrugged, tugging his socks off too.

He ran to his mother's room and flung his arms around her, then pulled back with a grin. "See you in two weeks!" Then he winced at the sound of Erza shouting.

"Gray, being a teenager doesn't mean you have the privilege of leaving socks in the hall!"

Ul laughed as Gray hastily exited her room, then she moved down the hallway to say goodbye to Lyon.

Her elder son greeted her with a formal bow. "Do you have to go?"

"You'll be fine, Lyon," she assured him. "I love you."

"I love you too," said Lyon, still keeping his distance.

* * *

Only one ship of the queen's escort returned, bringing bad news. Ul's ship and the others with it had been lost in a storm.

Gray watched Erza directing Jellal as the blue-haired servant covered the queen's portrait in black cloth. "Gray, put your coat back on," Erza said absentmindedly. "You can take it off after the funeral."

Lyon didn't come out of his room, and Gray stood alone by the empty casket while the queen's people mourned her.

Later, Gray visited Lyon's door again. "Lyon? I know you're in there. People have been asking about you." He shed his coat and sat leaning against the door. "They tell me to stay strong, to have courage. I'm trying... But it's just you and me now. All we have is each other. Please come out... I'm here for you."

Silence.

"What are we gonna do?" Gray muttered, half to himself.

 _Wanna build a snowman?_

The old question came to mind, bringing a laugh, but the laugh got caught somewhere in his throat and came out as a choking noise. Gray started sobbing.

Unseen by Gray, Lyon leaned up against his side of the door in the same position, tears trickling down his cheeks as he stared blankly at a room completely frosted over with ice.


	4. Chapter 4

Three years later...

Ships pulled into the bay, spilling people onto the docks.

"Welcome to Fiore!" the dock master exclaimed. "The castle gates will be opening soon."

The townspeople scurried about busily, preparing for a celebration.

A young man with pink hair squirmed as a blond girl fiddled with his tie. "Why do I have to wear this?" he whined.

"Because the king has come of age," she said happily. "His twenty-first birthday has passed, and now it's Coronation Day!"

"That's not my fault," the young man protested, and pretended to gag.

"Oh, hold still, Natsu. I'm not tying it that tight."

Nearby, a silver-haired girl bought a carrot from a vendor. A grown reindeer bounced around her like an oversized dog, then nuzzled her arm.

"What do you want, Rudy?"

The reindeer stared at the carrot, panting eagerly.

"Oh, I see. You want a snack." The girl chuckled. "What's the magic word?"

The reindeer gave her puppy eyes and whimpered pleadingly. The girl held the carrot out and the reindeer snatched it in his teeth.

"Ah, ah, ah! What about sharing?"

The reindeer bit off most of the carrot, carefully letting the leafy end of it fall back into the girl's waiting hand. She smiled and popped the remnant of orange vegetable into her mouth.

The blond hurried past them, pulling Natsu by the hand. "I can't believe they're finally opening up the gates!"

"And for a whole day!" exclaimed Natsu, getting into a more festive mood. He sped up. "Faster, Lucy!"

They passed a dark-haired woman who was followed closely by two strong men. "Ah, Fiore," she murmured. "Our most mysterious trade partner. Open those gates so I can claim your treasure and make use of your secrets!" Suddenly realizing she was talking out loud, she glanced around nervously. "Nobody heard that, did they?"

Fortunately for her, everyone within hearing distance was busy with their own conversations.

* * *

Meanwhile, Gray was still asleep. Jellal could hear him snoring all the way through the bedroom door.

"Prince Gray?"

There was a grunt.

"Gray!"

Gray reluctantly pushed himself to a sitting position, his hair sticking up messily and his eyes still shut. "Urgh... Yeah?"

"Sorry to wake you, sir, but -"

"You didn't..." Gray started to yawn, but kept talking through it. "I've been up for hours..." He dozed off again and his head drooped. Then he jerked back up. "Who is it?"

"Still Jellal. The gates will open soon. Time to get ready."

"Of course," mumbled Gray, rubbing his eyes. "Ready for what?"

"Your sister's coronation," Jellal replied patiently.

"My sister's... coronation..." Gray's eyes flew open. "Sister?!"

Jellal's laugh came through the door. "I thought that would get you up. Rise and shine, sleepy-head."

"Ha, ha, very funny." Gray's gaze landed on a nearby chair, where a neatly-folded formal outfit waited for him. His mind finally woke up properly. "Right, Lyon's getting crowned today." He threw his blankets off.

* * *

Gray wandered the castle, in awe of the bustling servants that filled the halls. Most of them had been hired only recently, for just this very day. Erza walked by, pulling a huge serving cart covered in salad plates. Gray couldn't count the stacks, let alone the plates.

"How many of those do we own?" he asked Erza.

"Approximately eight thousand," she answered. "Jellal broke a couple while we were washing the dust off them."

"Sorry," muttered Jellal, opening the nearby windows.

Gray blinked distractedly at the light streaming into the hall. "I didn't know those still opened..."

"Why wouldn't they open?" said Erza. "Just because we never use them doesn't mean they don't work. Stay out of the ballroom, they're polishing the floor."

"We're actually going to use the ballroom for a ball?" Then Gray started to realize the number of people who would be coming. It was a bit overwhelming.

He slid down a banister, then shook hands with a suit of armor at the bottom. For practice. He was pretty sure a real person's arm wouldn't fall off in his hand, though.

Gray headed to the portrait room, bored in spite of all the commotion, and amused himself by bouncing around on the sofas. Years of doing this meant that he was quite talented at posing mid-jump, so that for an instant he looked like he belonged in the painting he was in front of. Not that he would do it while anyone was watching.

* * *

 **AN: Jellal's joke came about because I wasn't paying attention. The script said sister, I typed sister, realized my mistake, and then thought how funny Gray's reaction would be if Jellal actually said sister to tease him.**

 **Yes, Erza pulled a huge serving cart covered in salad plates. By herself. Just like her luggage, so no problem for her, right? Even if Jellal hadn't broken a few. He's not really clumsy, so why did he break the plates? I have no idea. But Erza said he did, so he must have. Maybe he was staring at her and got distracted. I wouldn't put it past him.**


	5. Chapter 5

Lyon stood in the library, looking out the window at the arriving guests. He walked over to a painting of Queen Ul at her coronation.

"Conceal it, don't feel it," he said under his breath, taking off his gloves. He picked up a candlestick and ball-shaped ornament from the table under the painting, in imitation of the queen's orb and scepter. "Don't let it show. One wrong move..."

The candlestick and ornament iced over. Lyon slammed them down on the table and quickly pulled his gloves back on. "But it's only for today," he told himself shakily. "Only for today..."

The young king stepped out of the library. "Tell the guards to open the gates."

* * *

Jellal refused to let him out of the castle without his pants, but Gray easily fixed that problem and was soon racing across the drawbridge into the village. Finally, no more closed doors, nothing in his way... well, almost nothing. There was a horse by the docks that he walked right into.

Gray fell backward into a small rowboat, which slid off the edge of the dock toward the water. The horse, a rather intelligent beast, caught and steadied the boat with one hoof.

"Hey!" yelled Gray.

"Oh, Juvia is so sorry! Are you hurt?" The rider of the horse held a hand to her mouth in dismay.

Gray blinked at her, forgetting his anger. She had lovely blue hair that fell in waves to her shoulders, and beautiful eyes of the same color.

He stammered out, "Uh... no. No, I'm okay. Yeah."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, sure. I just I wasn't watching where I was going. But I'm okay. I'm great, actually..."

"Thank goodness." The girl dismounted, landing in the boat in front of Gray. "Oh, Juvia is forgetting her manners," she said with a quick curtsey. "She is Princess Juvia of Bosco."

Gray got up and bowed in return. "And I'm Prince Gray of Fiore."

"Prince?" gasped Juvia. "Your highness..." She dropped to one knee.

Her horse bent its head as well, lifting one hoof for flourish. Unfortunately, that was the hoof it had been holding the boat with.

The boat tilted, throwing Gray back into the bottom with Juvia on top of him. "Whoa!" he yelled. Juvia gave a short squeal.

The horse quickly slammed its hoof back into the boat, throwing Juvia and Gray the opposite direction. Gray was on top this time. Juvia squealed again.

"Eh, this is awkward," muttered Gray, blushing. He pushed himself away from the princess. "Not you, I mean. You're not awkward. I'm awkward. You're gorgeous." He stopped before he embarrassed himself even more.

Juvia blushed too, and giggled. She held her hand out so he could help her up, and then climbed out of the boat. "Juvia apologizes for hitting the Prince of Fiore with her horse... and every moment after."

"Oh no, it's fine," Gray assured her. "I'm not mad. Now if you'd hit my brother Lyon, that would be bad. He's sorta cranky. But lucky for you, it's just me."

"Just you?" said Juvia, amused.

Gray nodded. Then he heard bells ringing. "The coronation! I have to go!" He bounded out of the boat and away toward the castle.

The horse stepped out of his way, bumping into Juvia and knocking her back into the boat. The boat tipped off the dock and Juvia fell into the bay. She surfaced and stared after the black-haired prince with a dreamy look on her face, unmindful of the water dripping from her hair.

* * *

Lyon stood at the front of the chapel, doing his best to hide his anxiety. Gray hurried to stand nearby, a little off to one side. The ceremony began.

Lyon knelt so the bishop could place the crown on his head, then stood up again while the bishop brought a pillow with the orb and scepter on it.

Lyon reached for them, but the bishop gave a quiet cough.

"Your majesty... the gloves?" the bishop whispered.

Lyon hesitated, then slowly removed his gloves and tucked them into his belt. He took up the orb and scepter, then turned to face the crowd. Tense moments passed while the bishop solemnly intoned something in Latin. Lyon could feel the objects in his hands beginning to sprout frost.

"King Lyon of Fiore," the bishop finished.

Lyon wasted no time in returning the objects to the pillow and pulling his gloves back on, while the crowd shouted, "King Lyon of Fiore!"

Lyon gave the crowd a relieved smile as they broke into applause.


	6. Chapter 6

That evening, Jellal announced Lyon's entrance into the great hall. "His majesty, King Lyon of Fiore."

Moments later, Jellal announced Gray's entrance as well. "His highness, Prince Gray of Fiore."

Gray walked in, then stood wondering where he was supposed to go. Jellal took him by the shoulders and guided him over to Lyon.

"Here? Are you sure? I don't think..." He shut his mouth as Jellal stood him firmly right beside Lyon. "Okay," he mumbled, edging a few inches away from his brother.

Music started playing, and the brothers stood together in silence.

Lyon glanced at Gray. "Hi," he said quietly.

"Me?" said Gray, looking over. "Oh, hi."

"You look good."

"You look better. I mean, better than me."

Lyon smiled. "Thank you."

They fell silent again.

Lyon watched the celebration going on around them. "So... this is a party."

"It's warmer than I thought," Gray admitted.

Lyon gave a snort of amusement. "So I see. Put your jacket back on."

"Oops..." Gray shrugged his jacket on, and not a moment too soon.

"Her grace, Duchess Minerva of Weaseltown," Jellal announced.

"Wesselton. It's Wesselton," the duchess corrected him. She came over to Lyon. "Your majesty, as your closest partner in trade, it seems only fitting that I be your partner for your first dance as well."

Minerva made a curtsy so deep that Gray wondered how she didn't get stuck on the floor. He hid a smile behind his hand.

Perhaps Lyon was thinking the same thing, for he was smiling slightly himself as he made his polite reply. "Thank you, but I don't dance. My brother does, however."

The duchess seemed a little disappointed, but not offended. Before Gray could protest, he was dragged out into the middle of the floor.

"I'm not really good at dancing..."

"Oh, it's perfectly fine," Minerva said, smiling at him. "If you trip, I'll catch you."

Gray looked back at Lyon desperately. Lyon just gave an apologetic shrug and mouthed, "Sorry."

Gray's face was very red as the duchess nudged him through the motions of the dance. He was too nervous to do it very well, but she didn't seem to mind.

"It's so wonderful to have the gates open," she gushed. "Speaking of which, I wonder why they shut them in the first place? Do you know? Hmm?"

"No," said Gray.

"Oh. Too bad. Hold on!" Minerva grabbed his hand and leaned toward the floor, while the other men dipped their partners. Then she stood back up and twirled around.

Gray noticed Lyon watching them with a smirk on his face. "I'll get you for this," mouthed Gray.

* * *

The dance finished and Gray returned gratefully to his place beside Lyon.

"See, that wasn't so bad," said Lyon.

Gray snorted. "Say that after you try it yourself."

"I think I'll pass."

"That was embarrassing," Gray complained.

Lyon grinned. "You're sure you didn't have fun?"

"Not dancing, no. But in spite of that, I don't think I've ever felt better than right now... I wish it could be like this all the time."

"So do I," said Lyon quietly. But then his expression turned sober and he looked away. "But it can't."

"Why not?" Gray demanded.

"It just can't." Lyon's tone forbid any argument.

Gray stiffened. "Please excuse me." He walked off into the crowd.

Someone bumped into Gray from behind and he lost his balance. But before he could fall, they grabbed his arm and steadied him.

"Oh dear! Juvia is sorry she is so clumsy, Prince Gray," wailed the blue-haired princess.

"Don't worry about it," said Gray. "Come talk with me for a while?"

* * *

 **AN: During the arc of the eclipsed zodiac spirits, Gray gets embarrassed when he has a dance-off with Cancer. In an earlier episode, he apparently has no issue with ballroom dancing. It may seem a little contradictory, but I understand perfectly. I'd be embarrassed to dance Cancer style, too. Anyway, here is my reasoning for Gray's opinion of dancing in my story. Since he's been secluded most of his life, he has little experience. Learning to dance is most likely required for any young royal, but the only female around has been Erza, and learning from her is far from relaxing. Lyon skipped the dancing lessons just like any other interaction-based activity, and therefore he really can't dance.**


	7. Chapter 7

They wandered through the palace, talking about whatever crossed their minds.

At one point, Juvia timidly brushed her hand against the small white streak in Gray's hair. "What is this?"

"I was born with it," Gray explained. "Although I dreamed that a troll put it there." He made a weird face.

Juvia giggled. "Juvia likes it."

Later they sat on a balcony, eating a rather messy treat.

"You can't eat it delicately," Gray informed Juvia. "Just take a big bite out of it. Like you're gonna swallow the whole thing at once."

"The whole thing?"

"Well," Gray chuckled, "Maybe you can't fit it all in your mouth, but you can try." He took a huge bite to show her.

"Ah, Juvia sees." She did her best to imitate him.

"That's the way," he said with his mouth full.

"Um, Prince Gray... Your... your shirt..."

"Oops, sorry! Bad habit."

"J-Juvia doesn't mind much."

* * *

"So you don't have any friends?"

Juvia shook her head. "Everyone thinks Juvia is gloomy. And Juvia has no siblings. All the people Juvia's age pretend she is invisible."

"That's horrible," said Gray. "I don't have any friends either, not since I was five. That was the year my brother turned into a hermit. Mother closed the gates and dismissed most of the servants, and I never knew why."

"Prince Gray..." Juvia took his hand. "Juvia will be your friend, and you can be Juvia's."

"Mmm. Can I say something crazy?"

"Juvia loves crazy!"

"It seems like my whole life has been one closed door after another. Then I bump into you, and I catch a glimpse of a world full of opportunities."

Juvia nodded. "Juvia has always longed to find a place where she belongs. Juvia thinks she has found that place at your side."

Gray laughed. "Very well, my sidekick. Let's go sneak all over the castle, 'cause I'm so bored I might jump in the punch bowl."

"Juvia will follow you anywhere, Prince Gray," she replied, giggling.

"How about the stable first, then? We can say hello to our horses."

* * *

The two young royals eventually ended up sitting on the castle roof, where they could see ships strung with lanterns in the bay. They even spotted a shooting star.

Juvia raised her hands in a V-shape, looking at the moon through them.

Gray moved behind her and cupped his hands above hers, turning the V into a heart. "There," he whispered. "We captured the moon."

Juvia turned and looked at him with wide eyes.

"I'm gonna say something else crazy," said Gray. "Will you marry me, Juvia?"

Tears of happiness welled up in Juvia's eyes, and she smiled. "Juvia will say something even crazier. Yes!"

* * *

 **AN: Yummy, messy treats... on both sides of the crossover! The Frozen script mentions krumkake, and in Fairy Tail they have caramade franks.**


	8. Chapter 8

Gray and Juvia pushed through the crowd in the great hall, excusing themselves politely.

"There he is," said Gray. "Lyon! I mean, your majesty." He made a quick bow, then grabbed Juvia's hand and pulled her to stand beside him. "May I present Princess Juvia of Bosco."

Juvia curtsied. "Your majesty."

"Uh, we would like your blessing," Gray said awkwardly. Being formal was so difficult. "On our marriage."

"Marriage?" Lyon gaped at them in shock.

"Yes!" said Juvia happily.

"Well, we haven't worked out the details," Gray admitted. "We'll need a few days to plan..." He turned to Juvia. "Are we living here?"

"Here?" echoed Lyon.

"No, we should live in Juvia's kingdom, because Juvia has no siblings, remember? Juvia has to be queen some day."

"Right, right. But we can visit Lyon, and -"

"Hold on a minute, Gray," Lyon interrupted. "You're not going to visit me, because you're not getting married."

Gray frowned at Lyon. "Why not?"

"You can't marry a girl you just met!" Lyon exclaimed, frowning back.

"I'm an adult. I can make my own decisions."

"You're barely eighteen," Lyon snorted. "I suppose you think it's true love or something."

"Maybe it is!" snapped Gray. "How would you know? All you do is hide from people."

Lyon's face went blank. "You asked for my blessing, but my answer is no. Now, if you'll excuse me." He turned to walk away.

Gray and Juvia followed him.

"Your majesty, if Juvia could speak with you..." Juvia extended a hand toward the king.

Lyon flinched away. "I don't think so," he said, looking agitated. "Perhaps you should go now." He spoke to Jellal, who was standing near the door. "The party is over. Tell them to close the gates."

"Yes, your majesty."

"Lyon, no!" cried Gray. "Wait!" He grabbed Lyon's hand.

Lyon snatched his hand away, jerking it right out of his glove.

"Please don't do this, Lyon!"

Lyon gritted his teeth. "Give my glove back."

Gray held the glove out of reach, trying to make his brother listen to him. But Lyon gave up on the glove and walked away at a brisk pace.

"What did I do, Lyon? Why do you hide from me?" yelled Gray.

"Enough, Gray," said Lyon.

There was silence in the great hall. The guests had started to notice the quarrel, but Gray would not stop. "Why do you hide from the whole world? What are you so afraid of?!"

"I said enough!" With Lyon's angry gesture, magic shot from his bare hand and formed a splay of ice spikes in front of him.

The guests did not react well to this. Some gasped, some screamed... all of them moved farther away from Lyon.

"Sorcery!" hissed Duchess Minerva, ducking behind her guards. "I knew there was something going on here!"

"Lyon?" whispered Gray.


	9. Chapter 9

Lyon sprinted out the door. In the courtyard, still more people stood around. They noticed Lyon and started cheering.

"There he is!" someone exclaimed. "It's the king!" The crowd started murmuring excitedly.

Lyon tried to move through the crowd, holding his bare hand to his chest and covering it with the gloved one.

A man bowed to him. "King Lyon..."

A woman holding a baby looked at him with concern. "Your majesty? Are you alright?"

Lyon backed quickly away from her, and stumbled against one of the courtyard's fountains. He threw out his hands to steady himself and a surge of magic flowed into the fountain. The water seemed to writhe away from him, and it froze into a twisted, unnatural shape. Again the display of his power brought reactions of shock and fear.

"There he is! Stop him!" cried Minerva, who had followed him.

"Stay away from me," Lyon gasped. "Please, just stay away..."

The duchess and her guards advanced, and in his panic Lyon accidentally froze the ground beneath them, turning the steps they were descending to ice.

"Monster, monster!" Minerva screeched as she sat down hard.

Lyon clutched his bare hand again as the terrified crowd gave him more space. He glanced around at them, looking almost as scared as they did. Then he fled toward the gates, which were still open. There had not yet been time for his command about closing them to be carried out.

Gray came out of the castle, Lyon's glove still in his hand, and ran after his brother. "Lyon, wait!"

The young king was headed for the bay. He ran down to the shore and noticed frost forming around him, then cautiously extended one foot toward the water. Ice formed as if anticipating his step.

"Please wait!"

Lyon looked back and saw Gray coming, with the princess of Bosco close behind. He turned back to the bay and stepped out on the patch of ice. A snowflake-shaped area of denser ice appeared under his boot. He took off running, an icy path forming before him and sprouting snowflake shapes wherever his feet touched. Behind him the ice spread out across the bay in an ever-widening arc.

"Stop, Lyon!" Gray started onto the ice after Lyon, but his feet slid out from under him.

Juvia rushed to his side. "Prince Gray!"

"No," Gray moaned as his brother disappeared into the forest on the other side of the bay. He didn't notice when Lyon's glove slipped from his fingers and fell to the ice.

"Are you okay?" asked Juvia.

"Don't worry about me." Gray stared at the spot he had last seen Lyon.

"Prince Gray... did you know?"

Gray finally looked at her. "You mean that he has magic powers? Of course not. But maybe it explains why he's always been hiding."

Juvia gasped. "Look, the whole bay is freezing!"

The prince and princess watched as the ships in the bay ceased their gentle motion, locked in place by thick ice.

Juvia convinced Gray to return to the castle, where Duchess Minerva was now panicking at the snow that was starting to fall.

"It's snowing, it's snowing in the middle of summer! The king has cursed the land! He must be stopped!"

"Hang on!" said Gray.

The duchess scurried behind her guards, peeking out and pointing a trembling finger at Gray. "You! Is there sorcery in you, too? Are you another monster?"

"Don't be ridiculous," snapped Gray. "I don't have any powers. And my brother's not a monster."

"He nearly killed me!"

"Duchess Minerva slipped on icy stairs," said Juvia reasonably.

"Ice that he put there!"

"It was an accident," Gray insisted. "He didn't mean to... though I don't blame him for it since you chased him and called him a monster. However, he got upset in the first place because of me. Tonight is my fault. I got him worked up, and I'm going after him to fix this."

"What?" gasped Juvia.

"Bring my horse, please," said Gray loudly.

"Right away." It was Erza who answered. The red-haired servant vanished in the direction of the stable.

"Prince Gray, you can't go! What if..."

Gray patted Juvia's shoulder. "Lyon isn't dangerous. I'll bring him back and make everything right."

Juvia lifted her chin. "Then Juvia is coming with you."

"No, I need you here. Fiore needs someone in charge while I'm off chasing Lyon down."

Juvia clasped her hands tightly in front of her, but she looked proud to be entrusted with such responsibility. "On Juvia's honor, Fiore will be taken care of."

Erza came forward, leading Gray's horse. He was sure nobody could ready a horse faster than she could. It was like she just scared the tack into going where it needed to.

Gray swung himself into the saddle and announced to everyone listening, "I leave Princess Juvia in charge."

Juvia gazed up at him adoringly. "Be careful. Juvia couldn't stand it if you got hurt..."

"He's my brother," retorted Gray. "He'd never hurt me." He wheeled his horse around and charged out the gates.


	10. Chapter 10

Lyon trudged up a mountain through a growing snowstorm. "The snow shines white on the mountain tonight, not a footprint to be seen. A kingdom of isolation and it looks like I'm the king. The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside. Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I tried... Don't let them in, don't let them see, just be good like you always have to be. Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know."

He stopped and looked back, though the castle and village were already hidden from view. "Well, now they know."

He turned around and continued walking. "Let it go. Let it go. Can't hold it back anymore. Let it go. Let it go. Turn away and close the door. I don't care what they're going to say. Let the storm rage on. The cold never bothered me anyway."

With every step he felt better, as if he'd left his troubles far behind. "It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small. And the fears that once controlled me can't get to me at all."

He pulled off his other glove and dropped it in the snow, then did the same with his heavy royal cloak, letting it blow away in the wind. "It's time to see what I can do, to test the limits and break through. No right, no wrong, no rules for me... I'm free!"

He came to a sheer rock face, and instead of trying to climb it he walked around to where a chasm split the mountain. Lyon formed a stairway of ice to bridge the gap and strode up it to the higher side of the chasm.

"Let it go! Let it go! I am one with the wind and sky. Let it go! Let it go! You'll never see me cry." At the top, he paused and looked around. He stamped his foot and an icy snowflake spread outward. "Here I stand and here I'll stay. Let the storm rage on..."

The ice rose and formed shining walls, pillars, archways, a glittering chandelier on a vaulted ceiling, stairs, a balcony, doors... "My power flurries through the air into the ground. My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around. And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast... I'm never going back, the past is in the past!" When Lyon was finished, he had his own personal arctic palace.

He stepped out onto the balcony and smiled as the first light of morning reached his handiwork. "Let it go! Let it go! And I'll rise like the break of dawn. Let it go! Let it go! That perfect child is gone. Here I stand in the light of day. Let the storm rage on! The cold never bothered me anyway."

He took his crown off for a moment, ruffled his neatly-combed hair until it stuck out unevenly, and then replaced the crown at a more precarious angle. He shook his head to make sure it wouldn't fall off, but his messy hair held it in place.

He stared into one of the icy doors, which showed his reflection like a mirror. His smile grew wider when he saw how much his hair looked like ice, all white and spikey. "Looks like I'm the King of Winter now. Or, almost..." With his magic he transformed his clothes, turning them icy blue with patterns of frost.

Then Lyon walked back inside and shut the doors to the balcony.

* * *

"Lyon! Lyon, it's Gray... I didn't mean to make you freeze everything in the middle of summer. I'm sorry! It's all my fault. Please come back?"

In spite of Gray's shouts, the frozen world around him remained silent and unresponsive. His horse waded through deep snow, and shivered at the sound of a wolf howling.

Gray sighed and muttered to himself, "Of course, none of this would've happened if you hadn't hid your powers from me. Seriously, who keeps a secret like that from their own brother?"

A nearby tree branch broke underneath the weight of the snow. The horse whinnied in fright and reared, throwing Gray off under the tree. The tree dropped more snow on top of him.

The black-haired prince sat up, spitting snow out of his mouth, and noticed that his horse was running away. "Wait, come back!" he yelped. "Oh no... Great. Just great."

Scowling, he got up and started walking. Not after the horse, but in the same direction he'd been heading before.


	11. Chapter 11

Gray walked all day. A couple of times he suddenly realized he'd stripped, and had to back-track to recover the clothing.

Night was falling as Gray reached the top of a hill, grumbling to himself. "It had to be ice and snow. He couldn't have had some other kind of magic, like fire. On second thought, it's probably better he doesn't have fire magic..."

He paused and squinted into the distance. There seemed to be a light in the distance, but there was so much snow falling it was hard to be sure. He started to hurry down the other side of the hill, but he hit a loose stone under the snow.

At the bottom of the hill was a frozen stream, but it wasn't frozen completely solid. Gray found this out when his speedy trip down the hill ended with the sound of breaking ice and the feel of cold water soaking through his clothes.

"Aw, man..." He got out of the stream and continued toward the light. "Wet," he muttered disgustedly. The cold he could handle, but if he didn't get sick after this it would be a miracle. He shook his head, trying to get all the water out of his hair.

By the time Gray reached the building, which turned out to be a small trading post, his pants were stiff with ice and crackled as he walked.

Gray went inside and looked around, seeing only summer goods.

"You're all wet," observed the shopkeeper. "Better get some dry clothes on before you catch your death of cold."

"That's what I planned on doing," said Gray. "You got any winter things?"

The shopkeeper pointed to an out-of-the-way corner of the shop. "Winter department's over there."

Gray was a little disappointed in the poor selection, but he couldn't really complain. It was the middle of summer, after all. He picked up the lone coat and pair of boots, leaving a pickaxe where it lay, and rummaged through the summer clothes.

"You happen to notice if anybody else passed by?" he said to the shopkeeper, reluctantly choosing a butterfly-print shirt over several others covered in flowers. "Like maybe a guy with white hair -"

The shopkeeper interrupted Gray with a shake of his head. "Nobody but you is crazy enough to be out in this weather."

Just then the door swung open and a snow-covered figure stepped in.

"Nobody but you and her, that is," the shopkeeper corrected himself.

The newcomer shut the door and walked over to Gray. She was bundled up in a feathery-looking white coat, with a hat and a scarf that hid most of her face. All he could see was her eyes, which stared at him with unnerving intensity.

"Carrots," she said shortly.

"Huh?"

"Behind you."

"Oh, sorry." Gray stepped aside.

The girl pulled a bunch of carrots from the shelf he been blocking and tossed them on the counter, then added the pickaxe and a coil of rope.

"Forty jewel," said the shopkeeper.

"Not happening," said the girl. "I'll give you ten."

"Dear, this is from our winter stock. Forty, or no deal." He added in a conversational tone, "Big storm, huh? Wonder what's causing it."

"I have no idea. It's coming down from Mount Hakobe," the girl remarked absently. She pulled her scarf down and glared at the shopkeeper. "Listen, ten jewel is all I have. I'm in the ice business. Do you really think I can make much money in this weather?"

Gray looked out the window and saw a sled piled high with ice blocks. He thought of making a sympathetic comment, but decided not to interrupt the bargaining.

"Ten jewel will get you this and no more," insisted the shopkeeper, holding up the bunch of carrots. "Take it or leave it."

The girl turned and walked out.

"Guess she's leaving it," said Gray.

The shopkeeper shrugged, and pushed the items to the end of the counter so he could serve Gray. "Just the clothes and boots, then?"

Gray looked out the window again, and saw the girl leading a reindeer inside another building. "You have a stable?"

"Yep. If she wants to stay in there, she's welcome to. No charge." The shopkeeper grinned. "I couldn't deny shelter to anyone in this weather, even if they are nearly broke."

Gray pulled out all the money he had on him and counted it. Not much, but enough.

* * *

 **AN: Both butterflies and flowers seem a trifle girly to me, but Gray was wearing a shirt with a butterfly design right after the Grand Magic Games, so I guess he doesn't mind a whole lot.**


	12. Chapter 12

"Sorry, Rudy. I didn't get any carrots."

The reindeer huffed disappointedly.

"Come on, we can sleep in here," the girl said, leading her animal friend into the stable.

They settled down in the straw, and the girl started singing to the reindeer, accompanying herself on a lute.

She had just finished when Gray entered the stable. "Nice singing."

The girl jumped. "Oh, it's just you," she said. "What do you want, besides to scare me half to death?"

"I want you to take me up Mount Hakobe."

"I don't take people places." The girl laid back against the reindeer and closed her eyes, but then grunted as a bag landed beside her, tipping over against her stomach.

"Let me rephrase that," said Gray. "Take me up Mount Hakobe. Please."

She frowned at him. "I don't take orders, either."

"I know how to stop the winter. You want to get back to selling ice, right?"

The girl looked in the bag, and found the pickaxe and rope. She sighed and pulled her hat down over her eyes. "We leave at dawn. Oh, and you forgot the carrots."

"No, I didn't."

The girl lifted her hat and found Gray watching her with a smug smile on his face and the bunch of carrots in his hand.

"We're leaving right now," he said.

* * *

The girl's sled slid along at top speed, pulled by her reindeer pal. Empty of ice, the sled went like the wind.

"Hang on, we like to go fast," said the girl, grinning as the sled swerved under them. She snapped the reins. "Right, Rudy?"

"I like fast." Gray leaned back and put his feet up on the front of the sled.

"Feet on the floor!" ordered the girl, smacking his ankles. "Were you raised in a barn or something?" She rubbed the spot with her sleeve, as if Gray might have left smudges.

"A castle," said Gray, rolling his eyes. He got the feeling she was rather protective of her sled. "My name's Gray, Prince of Fiore."

The girl didn't give him even a nod of respect. "I'm Angel. So, you seem to know all about this freak storm. Start talking."

"My brother the king went ice-crazy yesterday," said Gray. "Well, it was sort of my fault. I got engaged and he freaked out 'cause I'd just met the girl. And he said I couldn't marry her, and -"

"You got engaged to someone you just met?" interrupted Angel.

"Yesterday," Gray confirmed. "Anyway, we both got mad and I accidentally pulled one of his gloves off -"

"Hang on," Angel interrupted again. "You mean to tell me you just met her and you're already engaged?"

"Yes," said Gray. "Pay attention. Lyon always wears gloves, but I didn't think anything of it -"

"Didn't your parents ever warn you about strangers?"

Gray edged a tiny bit farther away from Angel. "Yes, they did. But Juvia's not a stranger."

"Is that so? What's her last name?"

"Of Bosco."

"What's her favorite food?"

"Messy things... I don't know what they're called, but they're delicious."

"Best friend's name?"

"That'd be me."

"Eye color?"

"Blue and beautiful."

"Shoe size?"

"That doesn't matter. She can buy her own shoes. Just not too many."

"Have you met her parents yet? What if she has some habit that drives you nuts?"

"I don't mind her talking in third person all the time."

"Then perhaps some other habit."

"Hey, she doesn't mind MY habits!"

"Your habits?" Angel looked over and found Gray's coat in his lap and his shirt draped over his shoulder. "Hey, don't strip in my sled!"

"Sorry." He put the clothes back on. "But anyway, she's a perfect princess."

"Every woman has mood swings. We can't help it. Better not marry anyone until you find out if you can still love them when they're crabby one minute and sobbing the next."

"You think you know love, huh?"

"No, but my friends do."

"You have friends?" snorted Gray.

"Yep, they know all about love."

"Love experts? I'm not convinced."

Angel stopped the sled. "Be quiet." She got a vacant look in her eyes, as if she was listening for something.

"No, really, I'd just love to meet these -"

Angel clapped a hand over Gray's mouth. "I mean it."

Gray shoved her hand away, looking irritated.

"Shhhh!" Angel hissed. She stood up, grabbing a lantern from the floor, and leaned over the back of the sled.

Finally realizing she wasn't shutting him up just to be mean, Gray turned and looked into the forest behind them. He saw points of light in the blackness, all of them in pairs. Eyes, reflecting the lantern.


	13. Chapter 13

"Rudy, go!" yelled Angel. "Go!"

The reindeer took off at full speed. Angel started digging in the bags at her feet.

"What is it?" asked Gray, still looking behind them.

"Wolves," Angel answered, pulling out a torch and lighting it.

Gray swallowed hard. "What are we going to do?" he asked, trying to stay calm.

"I can handle this. Just don't fall off or get eaten."

"I can help!"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because I don't trust your judgement."

"What?!"

A wolf leaped onto the sled. Angel pushed Gray aside and kicked it off. "Who marries a girl he just met?" she demanded.

"I haven't married her yet," protested Gray. He grabbed Angel's lute from the floor and swung it past her head, right into a leaping wolf.

Another wolf dragged Angel off the sled. She lost her grip on the torch, but Gray caught it. Angel grabbed hold of a loose rope and dragged along behind the sled. A second wolf leaped onto her back.

"Get off me, you wretched beasts!" Angel screamed, thrashing in an attempt to knock the wolves off.

Gray snatched a blanket from the floor of the sled and set it on fire, shouting, "Head down, Angel!"

Angel ducked just in time to avoid the flaming blanket as Gray threw it at the wolves. The wolves yipped and fell away.

Angel climbed hand over hand up the rope. "You almost set me on fire!" she snarled at Gray.

Gray pulled her into the sled, smirking. "But I didn't."

He faced the front of the sled again, and the smirk vanished. There was a cliff coming up in front of them. "Get ready to jump, Rudy!" he called to the reindeer.

"You don't tell him what to do, that's my job!" Angel picked up a satchel and shoved it into Gray's arms. "Get on his back!" She gave the prince a push in the right direction.

"Hey!" Gray protested, but he climbed off the front of the sled and onto the reindeer. He looked back at Angel, who pulled a knife out and cut through the harness just as they came to the edge of the cliff.

Rudy jumped, carrying Gray safely to the opposite cliff. The sled's momentum drove it forward, and then it started to tip down into the gorge. Angel stood on the front and sprang out, just barely reaching the other side. Hanging by her arms from the edge, she watched sadly as her sled plummeted to the ground far below her and shattered.

"And I just finished paying for it..." Then Angel started slipping in the loose snow, about to join the sled. She scrabbled for a hold, but kept sliding backwards. "No, no, no!"

A pickaxe dug into the snow near her face, attached to a rope. "Grab on!" yelled Gray.

So she did. Soon she was back on solid ground, staring at the sky and trying to catch her breath.

"I'll replace your sled," offered Gray. "And... I understand if you don't want to help me anymore." He started walking away.

Rudy nuzzled Angel, who groaned. "Of course I don't want to help him anymore," she muttered to the reindeer. "In fact, I may not help anyone ever again."

Rudy nudged her with a hoof. Angel realized that the prince might die if she left him alone out here. She could live with that, but then he wouldn't be able to replace her sled...

"Hang on a moment," she called to Gray. "We're coming." She pushed Rudy away as he tried to lick her face.

Gray stopped and looked back. "You are? Uh... right. Sure, whatever." He tried not to grin.


	14. Chapter 14

They came out into a clearing, from which they could see the village and castle far below them.

"Whoa... Fiore looks completely frozen," said Gray.

"Technically, we're still in Fiore," Angel snorted. "Your kingdom is bigger than one castle and a small village."

Gray frowned. "Then does the village have its own name?"

"Don't tell me you don't know that!"

"Okay, I won't. But what's its name?"

"Hargeon," said Angel, staring at him as if she didn't believe a prince could be so ignorant.

"Hargeon," Gray repeated. "So, Hargeon and the castle are completely frozen."

"Not that it isn't rather cold in this part of Fiore, too," Angel admitted, scuffing one boot against the snowy ground.

"It'll be fine," said Gray. "Lyon will thaw it."

"Oh, really? He will?" Angel raised one eyebrow, clearly skeptical.

"Uh huh. Come on." Gray pointed ahead of them. "Mount Hakobe's this way, right?"

"More like this way." Angel took Gray's arm and moved it to a more vertical position.

Gray stared upward, catching glimpses of the mountain through wispy clouds. "Well... then I guess we better get started..."

They walked through a grove of willows, with drooping branches covered in frozen droplets of water. Rudy's antlers knocked into some of them and set the strands swinging. They rang like chimes, a lovely and yet eerie sound.

"So, how exactly are you going to get your brother to fix this weather?" asked Angel.

"I'm going to talk to him."

"That's all?"

"Yeah. Something wrong with that?"

"I guess you're not afraid of him..."

"Why would I be?"

* * *

"No, no, no. You've got the bark facing down! It needs to be facing up!" The pink-haired Natsu grabbed a chunk of firewood from the growing pile and turned it over.

"What do you know, punk?" demanded his firewood-gathering partner, captain of one of the stranded ships in the bay. The man had a wild mane of black hair and metal studs all over his body. "Bark down is drier!"

In a few moments the two were rolling on the ground, punching each other and yelling.

"Make the bark face up!"

"The bark goes down, nitwit!"

"I'll make you go down, jerk!"

"Natsu, Captain Gajeel..." Lucy stood nearby. "Stop fighting, already!" The blond girl's words were ignored.

"Excuse Juvia, does anyone need a cloak?" the blue-haired princess offered. She had a pile of cloaks in her arms, all different colors.

"Oh, thank you," said Lucy. "Fiore is indebted to you, your highness. Sorry about these idiots..."

Juvia laughed. "At least they're keeping warm. Juvia wishes to inform everyone that the castle is open. We are serving soup and hot drinks in the great hall."

"Okay. Want me to help pass those out?" Lucy motioned toward the cloak pile.

Duchess Minerva showed up, her guards right behind her. "Princess Juvia, do you expect us to just sit here and freeze while you give away all Fiore's tradeable goods?"

Juvia handed the cloaks to Lucy and turned to the duchess with a frown. "Prince Gray gave his orders -"

"That's another thing! Have you considered that the prince might be conspiring with the sorcerer to destroy us all?"

Juvia's eyes narrowed. "Do not question Prince Gray. He has left Juvia in charge, and Juvia will not hesitate to protect his kingdom to the best of her ability, whether it be from cold or treason."

The princess stalked away, leaving the duchess flabbergasted. "Treason?!"

Suddenly a horse's frightened whinny filled the air. It galloped through the village and up to the castle gates, shying as if every snowflake was a hornet.

"Whoa, whoa," called Juvia gently. "Easy, boy..."

The horse skittered to a stop in front of the princess, tossing its head and snorting. Juvia approached it cautiously and tried to calm it down.

Jellal came and helped her. "This is Prince Gray's horse."

"But where's Gray?" demanded Erza.

Juvia looked at the two servants, then out in the direction Gray had headed. Through the falling snow, a mountain could be seen looming in the distance, beyond a dense forest. "Prince Gray is in trouble. Juvia asks for volunteers to come with her to find him."

"I'll go," said Erza, wearing a face that boded ill for anyone who dared to harm the prince.

"Me, too," volunteered Natsu.

Captain Gajeel crossed his arms and said nothing, figuring he could stack wood in peace with the impetuous pink-haired boy gone.

"My guards will help, your highness!" Duchess Minerva said quickly. As a few others spoke up, she whispered to the two of them, "Be prepared for anything. And if you encounter the king, make sure this winter ends. Understood?"

They both nodded, first the cheerful blond and then the solemn raven.


	15. Chapter 15

Soon Angel and Gray came to a sheer rock face.

"It's too steep," Angel declared. "I've only got one rope and you don't know how to climb mountains." She started digging in her satchel to see if she could have missed anything useful... more rope, perhaps.

"Says who?"

Rudy nudged her and grunted. Angel followed his gaze to Gray, who was already attempting to scale the wall. "What are you doing?"

"Going to see Lyon." Gray strained to reach a handhold above his head.

"You are a ridiculous person," Angel said flatly. "And you're going to kill yourself, doing that. I wouldn't put my foot there if I were you."

Gray's foot slipped. "Don't distract me."

"Or there," added Angel. As Gray slipped again, she went on, "How do you know Lyon wants to see you?"

"I need to concentrate here, so I'm just going to block out your voice..."

"Most people who disappear into the mountains want to be alone."

"Nobody wants to be alone, except maybe you," said Gray, slipping yet again.

Angel laughed. "I'm not alone. I have friends, remember?"

"Oh, right," panted Gray. "The love experts."

"You needn't sound so sarcastic."

"Am I almost there? The air's getting thin..."

Angel walked to the cliff face, reached up and grabbed his belt. "I'm not even stretching. Why don't you hop down and we'll try looking for an easier way up this thing?"

Discouraged, Gray let himself drop to the ground and followed her in silence as she explored.

They found a chasm, bridged by a stairway of ice. At its top a frozen palace rose into the sky.

Gray waited for Angel to say, 'I told you so,' but she was busy staring at the ice. "It's so wonderful... I think I'm going to cry," she whispered.

Gray patted her on the back. "If you do, I won't tell anybody." He started climbing the stairs.

Rudy tried to follow him, but four-legged creatures don't do well on steps, even ones not made of ice.

"No, Rudy... Hold still," ordered Angel as the reindeer flailed about. She grabbed hold of him and eased him back off the stairs. "I think you better stay here."

The reindeer slammed his rump down like a dog told to sit, even wagging his tail.

Angel started after Gray, still in awe of the ice. She found the prince standing motionless at the doors of the palace. "What are you waiting for?"

Gray scowled at her, but knocked. The frozen doors swung inward under his hand. "It opened," he said, sounding a little surprised.

"What, are you not used to that?" Angel stepped forward, but Gray held his arm out.

"You should probably wait out here. The last time I introduced a girl to him... Well, it didn't turn out too well." He gave Angel a look that reminded her about the incident with his fiance.

"But... it's an ice palace! I want to see what it looks inside. I..." She sighed. "Okay, I'll wait. But if you don't come out soon, I'm coming in."

Gray smiled and walked inside.


	16. Chapter 16

The foyer was lit by a cold, dim light that filtered weakly through the ice. The floor was slick, and Gray slipped a few times crossing it. He reached the stairway and grabbed hold of the banister. "Lyon?" he called. "It's me, Gray."

A faint voice replied. "Gray?"

Gray looked up and saw Lyon step out on the landing above him. "Wow, Lyon... You look different."

Lyon looked down at his outfit uncertainly. "It's not too girly, is it?"

"No, no way. If it had more sparkles, then maybe. But it's fine," Gray assured him, then grinned and unfastened the front of his coat.

Lyon blinked at him. "What is... Are those butterflies on your shirt?"

"It was either that or flowers. Talk about girly, huh? But you look cool, and this place is amazing."

"Thank you," said Lyon, smiling. "I never knew before what I was capable of."

Gray looked at the floor. "I'm sorry about what happened. If I'd known..."

"No, it's okay. You don't need to apologize. But you should probably leave now."

"But I just got here."

"You should go back to the castle. That's where you belong."

"You belong there too," protested Gray.

Lyon shook his head. "No, I belong here. Alone."

"But Lyon, don't you remember how close we were as kids? It can be like that again. You can't make me believe you'd rather seal yourself away up here than come home with me."

Lyon looked at Gray, and his vision seemed to narrow to the white streak in his brother's hair. He turned away. "Goodbye, Gray."

"Wait... Lyon!" Gray started up the stairs.

"I'm just trying to protect you," said Lyon, heading for the second floor.

Gray kept following him. "I don't need protected! You don't have to hide from me, I'm not scared of you! Please don't shut yourself away again, Lyon."

Lyon shoved open a pair of doors and stepped out onto his balcony. "Just stay away. Stay away and you'll be safe from me."

"Safe is a relative term," Gray said, standing in the doorway behind him. "I suppose if the winter weather you set off down there isn't permanent, we'll be safe. But I kind of doubt it's going to end unless you tell it to."

"What?" Lyon gaped for a moment, then rushed to the railing and peered down at the snow-covered kingdom of Fiore. The ice reached as far as he could see. He felt like such a fool. There was no escape from his curse.

"Lyon, it's fine. You can unfreeze it." Gray walked closer to his brother.

Lyon dodged Gray and ran back inside. "No, I can't," he shouted. "I don't know how!" Snow flurries began to fill the room around him. "Please, Gray... leave before you make it worse."

Gray wouldn't stop following him. "Come back with me. We can work this out." The flurries became a storm, trying to hold Gray back.

"You're not safe here!"

"I'm not afraid."

Lyon flung his hands over his ears and closed his eyes tightly. "Go away!"

The snow suddenly swirled into a single spiral around Lyon, then shot toward Gray, hitting him in the chest.

For a moment, Lyon was unaware of what had happened. Then he opened his eyes and saw Gray kneeling on the floor, clutching his chest and breathing hard.

"Gray!" Angel came pounding up the last few steps, having waited for Gray as long as she could stand to. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine..." Gray managed to stand up.

"Who's this?" said Lyon. "Never mind, it's not important. You need to go."

"And abandon you? Not happening," said Gray firmly.

"And what power do you have that could help me? Or stop me?"

"Gray, let's go," said Angel, trying to pull him toward the stairs. The look on Lyon's face was making her uneasy.

Gray shook her off. "I'm not leaving without Lyon."

"Yes. You are." Lyon gestured, quite deliberately this time, and formed a large snow tiger.

The tiger grabbed Angel and threw her onto its back, then seized Gray's collar in its teeth and bounded down the stairs.

* * *

 **AN: Ice make: snow tiger! At last, we get to see Lyon's dynamic ice make magic... Sadly, for most of the story he has to use static forms.**


	17. Chapter 17

"Put us down!" yelled Gray.

The snow tiger just snarled through its mouthful of his coat. It dragged the struggling prince out the front door and down the stair-bridge, where it swung him by the collar and let go, sending him flying into a snow drift. Then it gave a shake as if to let Angel know it wanted her off its back now.

"We're going, we're going," she said, quickly getting down.

The tiger growled at Rudy, who had gotten his tongue stuck to the railing of the bridge. The reindeer jerked back and his tongue came free, then he scrambled away from the tiger.

The snow tiger turned back to Angel, watching as she hurried over to Gray and started helping him up.

Gray spat snow out of his mouth. "I'll teach you to throw people!" He started toward the tiger, but Angel held him back.

"Wait! Calm down, Gray!"

Gray paused, taking deep breaths. "Right... okay..."

"Leave the snow cat alone, all right?"

"Yeah... I'm calm now."

"Good."

But the moment Angel let go of him, Gray calmly hurled a snowball at the tiger's face. The tiger sprang at them, roaring.

"Oh, great," grumbled Angel. She grabbed Gray's wrist and tugged him into a run behind her. "Now you've made it mad."

They fled down a steep slope and through a bunch of snow-covered evergreen trees. The tiger followed.

Gray pulled out of Angel's grasp and ran over to a branch that was sagging under a heavy load of snow.

"What are you doing?" yelped Angel.

Gray swiped the snow off the branch. It whipped up into the air and collided with the snow tiger, which had chosen that instant to leap at Gray. The tiger was knocked back quite a distance.

"Oh, that's what," Angel answered herself.

"I got it!" crowed Gray.

"Don't get too excited," Angel warned, grabbing his wrist again. "It'll recover sooner or later, you know."

They came out of the trees and found themselves looking down a cliff.

"Whoa," muttered Gray. "Must be a twenty foot drop..."

"More like fifty." Angel got out her rope. She tied one end around Gray's waist and the other around her own, then started using the pickaxe to dig a curved channel in the snow.

"What's that?" asked Gray, tugging at the knot on his end. The rope was a little tight, but he figured now wasn't the time to complain.

"A snow anchor," said Angel shortly. "It should keep us from falling all the way down there."

"And if it doesn't work?"

"Then we fall into a pile of fresh, powdery snow, like landing on a big pillow."

Gray remembered pillow-fighting with Lyon when they were little. "Pillows aren't that soft at high speed..."

Angel tucked the rope into the channel. "On three, we jump."

"Okay..." Gray stepped to the edge of the cliff with her.

"One," said Angel.

"I'm ready," Gray mumbled to himself.

"Two," said Angel.

"Or maybe not..." Jumping off a cliff was kind of crazy. Gray thought perhaps they'd be better off facing the tiger.

Angel smacked Gray's arm. "Don't think about it, just do it."

The snow tiger bolted toward them, so furious that it ran right into one of the trees. It gave a yowl, and Angel turned to look. The tree shook from the impact and started falling toward Angel and Gray.

"Tree!" yelled Angel.

Gray closed his eyes and jumped.

The rope started sliding through the snow anchor, and Angel quickly jumped after Gray. They jerked to a stop.

"It worked," said Gray, relieved. "The anchor worked!"

"Idiot," snapped Angel. "I said tree, not three!"

"It still worked."

The rope jerked.

"Uh oh," said Angel, looking up.

Gray's face went pale. If the tiger wrecked the snow anchor... "Is it trying to make us fall?"

The rope jerked again and they rose a bit higher.

"No, I think it's trying to catch us."

"We have to get down," said Gray. "How do we get down?"

There was another jerk, but no answer. Gray looked at Angel and found her hanging limply. She'd hit her head on the cliff.

"Angel, wake up! How do we get down?" Gray grabbed her shoulder and shook it, but she just flopped about. "Okay," he muttered. "I can handle this myself... Think, Gray, that's what your brain is for."

He could hear the tiger just above them, rumbling ominously as it dragged them upward. The rope jerked again. He couldn't let it bring them into its reach. He had to... cut the rope? That was a good idea, if he had a knife. He didn't, but Angel had cut the harness on the sled...

Gray reached out and nudged the girl. She started spinning in a slow circle. Sure enough, there was a knife fastened to her belt. Gray pulled it out of the sheath, and reached for the rope above his head.

Another jerk. The tiger almost had them. Gray realized that if he only cut his end of the rope, Angel's end might not slide out of the tiger's... claws? Teeth? Whatever it was using to hold the rope.

He had to make sure the tiger didn't get either of them. Gray grabbed the rope above Angel and pulled it over to his own so he could hold both in one hand. The unconscious girl bumped against him, but he did his best to ignore her and sawed at the ropes.

Higher again. The tiger snapped at Gray's hand. He flinched and almost dropped the knife. Too close. He could feel its frosty breath. Gray slashed through the last bits of rope and felt himself plummeting. He hoped Angel was right about the snow.

* * *

 **AN: The script said 100 and 200 feet. I'm not good with distances, but that just seems like way too far to fall and survive, much less get up and walk away. So I changed it to sound a little more realistic. It still might be too far...**


	18. Chapter 18

Gray's eyes drifted open. Pale sky, snowflakes falling on his face, a cliff looming over his head, snow up to his chin. A pair of boots stuck out of the snow a short distance away. They weren't his.

He lifted his arm out of the snow and poked one of the boots. It twitched and there was a muffled noise from somewhere. Gray thought it sounded like someone grumbling when they didn't want to get out of bed. A moment later there was another muffled noise, this one a little louder and more startled.

Snow scattered as Angel sat up, spluttering. She'd lost her hat, and a curl of silver hair stuck up over her head like a halo. She wiped a few snowflakes from her face and frowned at Gray. "That's my foot."

"I figured," he said. "But it was all I could see, and I thought you might like to be able to breathe. If I was wrong, you can submerge again and I won't bother you."

"Very funny," said Angel dryly. "What happened?"

"After you fainted?"

"I didn't faint, I hit my head on a rock."

Gray shrugged. "I cut the rope with your knife and we fell down here. I guess the landing wasn't too bad after all." He lifted his other hand out of the snow. It was still clutching the knife. "Good, I didn't lose this. Here you go."

Angel took the knife and put it back in its sheath. "I wonder where Rudy went."

"He's standing behind you."

Angel whirled around. "Rudy! You found us! You good boy..." She scratched the reindeer between his ears. Rudy shook her hand off and looked pointedly in Gray's direction.

Gray was patiently shoving snow away from his chest. He stopped and tried to pull himself out. "Guh..."

Angel chuckled. "Need some help?" She walked over and took Gray's hands. He was more firmly stuck than she thought, but Rudy took the back of her coat in his mouth and helped pull.

"Whoa!" said Gray as he lurched free.

"Are you okay?" Angel panted.

"Yeah, thanks." Gray brushed snow from his clothes. "Uh... oops." He hastily retrieved his pants. "Wasn't my fault that time!"

"I know."

There was a moment of awkward silence.

"How's your head?" said Gray.

Angel's hand went instinctively to her head, and she winced. "It's fine," she said quickly. "I have a thick skull." She spotted her hat in the snow and put it back on. "So, now what?"

Gray stared blankly at her. "Now what?" he repeated, and then remembered that he hadn't succeeded in convincing Lyon to come home. He groaned. "I can't go back to Hargeon with the weather like this. And your ice business -"

"I think you might have more important things to worry about than my ice business," said Angel solemnly. "There's something wrong with your hair."

"We just fell off a cliff," said Gray. "You can't expect -"

"No," Angel interrupted. "I don't mean that it's messy. I'm talking about the white spot."

"Oh, that," said Gray. "I've always had it."

"It's bigger now."

Gray touched his hair as if he could tell how big the white section was by feel. "You're sure?"

"I think it has something to do with that ice your brother threw at you," Angel said. "From the moment I met you until we reached his palace, it didn't change. Now it's suddenly bigger. Come on." She started walking.

"Uh, where are we going?"

"To see my friends."

Gray snorted. "The love experts? What can they do?"

"They can fix this."

"How do you know?"

A memory flitted across Angel's mind, of a small boy with a white streak in his black hair. "Because I've seen them do it before."

* * *

Lyon paced up and down, around in circles, and in random zigzag patterns. "Get it together. Control it. Don't feel, don't feel, don't feel!"

There was a sound of cracking ice. Lyon looked around. He was leaving a wake of ice spikes. The room was covered with them, surrounding him with a harsh red light.


	19. Chapter 19

Rivers of light flowed through the night sky. It had been two whole days now since Gray had left Hargeon in search of his brother.

"The sky's awake," Gray whispered. He missed Lyon; he missed the friendship they used to have. A shiver ran through him.

"Are you cold?" asked Angel. She walked along beside him, one hand on Rudy's shoulder.

Gray was about to deny it, but then realized he actually was. "A little," he admitted. "That's funny... I don't usually get cold at all. But then, neither does Lyon, so perhaps it's because I'm related to him."

Angel nodded. "Since you're brothers, it wouldn't be surprising if you had the same powers as him. But maybe you only got the cold resistance, without any active magic."

They continued walking. Gray shivered some more. Angel gave him a sympathetic look, which he didn't see. She started to reach out toward him, but stopped herself. Then she had an idea.

"Come here," Angel ordered, grabbing his wrist and leading him around the next bend in the path. There were rocks everywhere, and steam vents dotted the sides of the path. She tugged Gray to one and held his hands over it.

Gray gave a sigh of contentment. "That's warm..."

They moved on from one vent to another.

"So," Angel said finally. "My friends... Well, I say friends, but they're more like my family. When I was small, my only family was Rudy until they took me in." She gave a nervous laugh. "Rudy... that's short for Rudolph. I was convinced it was the only possible name for a reindeer. Kind of silly, right?"

Gray smiled. "You were just a little kid. It's understandable. These friends... family... they let you keep your pet, then?"

"Yes. They thought I was strange, but I thought they were strange too, so we're even. They can be a very... loud. And stubborn, and a little overbearing, and heavy. But they're kind. They mean well."

"Maybe they rubbed off on you a bit... except you're not heavy. They sound wonderful."

Angel looked away, embarrassed but happy. "Okay, then..." She stepped forward, turned around to face Gray, and spread her arms. "Meet my family."

Gray looked around. They were standing in a field full of rocks.

"Hello, everyone," said Angel. "It's good to see all of you again!" She walker farther into the rock field.

Gray stared at Angel, then started backing away slowly. "Okay... Nice meeting everybody..."

"Don't be scared, Gray," called Angel.

The rocks started moving.

"A-Angel?" Gray's voice wavered slightly. "What's going on?!"

Rocks rolled forward, surrounding the humans and the reindeer. They uncurled into...

"T-trolls?" stammered Gray.

"Angel's home!" yelled one of the trolls, and the other trolls immediately joined in. "Angel's home, Angel's home!"

A troll pulled Angel down by the arm, closer to its level. "Oh, let me look at you!" it gushed joyfully.

Another troll tugged at the hem of Angel's coat. "Here, give me your clothes! I'll wash them up for you."

"No thank you," said Angel, holding her coat tightly. "I'll keep my clothes on for now. Where's Gramps?"

"He's napping," said a little kid troll. "But look, I grew a mushroom!"

"And I found a fire crystal!" chimed in another kid, holding the object up for inspection.

An even smaller troll jumped up and down. "Up, up!"

Angel lowered her arm to it and the tiny troll happily latched on. "Oof, you're getting big!" she said. "Good for you."

Another small troll clambered up her back.

"Trolls..." muttered Gray, beginning to adjust to the strangeness. "They're trolls."

The trolls were suddenly all looking at him. "She's brought a boy!" said one.

"Oh, Bulda," sighed Angel. "It isn't what you think..."


	20. Chapter 20

"A boy!" repeated the other trolls, sweeping Gray off his feet and rolling him through their midst to Angel.

"W-what's going on?" The trolls put Gray down a bit abruptly, and he stumbled against Angel.

She gently pushed him upright. "I've learned to just roll with it."

The troll called Bulda dragged another troll over to Gray. "Lift me up, Cliff."

"Alright, dear."

From her new perch, Bulda examined Gray, poking and prodding him. "Let me see... Hmm, yes. Yes, he'll do nicely for our Angel."

"Wait," gasped Gray, "No, you've got the wrong idea."

"That's not why I brought him here," said Angel.

"Right," Gray agreed. "I'm not -"

"What's the issue?" Bulda asked him. "Why are you holding back? Don't you like Angel?"

"This isn't about me!" protested Angel.

The trolls started asking dozens of questions, trying to figure out what Gray thought could possibly be wrong with Angel. Some of the things they said were a bit embarrassing.

"I did not need to know that," Gray mumbled, turning red in the face.

"Can we please stop talking about this?" Angel demanded. "We have a bigger problem here..."

The trolls continued with their attempt at match-making. They pulled Gray and Angel off into separate groups of trolls.

"Enough, stop this!" growled Angel. "Gray is already engaged. To someone else!" The trolls around her didn't seem convinced, and the trolls with Gray continued singing Angel's praises to him.

Both groups of trolls began decorating their humans with moss and small crystals. Then they pushed the two back together and dug out a shallow pit under their feet.

Angel and Gray stared uncertainly at each other in their odd finery.

A troll stood in front of them at the edge of the pit and began intoning, "Do you, Angel, take Gray to be your trollfully wedded -"

"Wait, what?!" yelped Gray.

"You're getting married," the troll explained patiently.

Gray shivered once and collapsed.

Angel tried to catch him, but she wasn't quite strong enough to keep him upright. She settled for sitting down on the floor of the pit and holding him. "He's so cold," she murmured.

A very old troll rolled up to the edge of the pit and uncurled. "There is strange magic here."

"Gramps!" Angel exclaimed in relief.

"Come," the old troll said, beckoning. "Bring him to me."

Angel did her best to move Gray. A few trolls jumped into the pit and helped her.

Gramps took Gray's hands. "His life is in danger..."

Gray's eyes fluttered open. "D-danger..."

Gramps nodded. "There is ice in your heart, put there by your brother. If not removed, you will freeze to solid ice forever."

"What?" Gray said weakly. "No..."

"But you can remove it, can't you?" asked Angel.

Gramps shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, Angel. I can't. Only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart."

"An act... of true... love..." Gray slumped again, shivering.

"A true love's kiss, perhaps?" suggested Bulda, giving Cliff a quick smooch.

Angel watched helplessly as the white part of Gray's hair grew larger. "We have to get you to the princess!"

"Juvia," mumbled Gray.

"Rudy, come here!" called Angel. The reindeer trotted through the trolls to the edge of the pit.

Angel did her best to get herself and Gray up on the reindeer's back, but she never would have made it without the trolls' reluctant assistance. However, once both of them were mounted, she found it only slightly challenging to keep Gray balanced in front of her.

"Take us to Hargeon, Rudy!"


	21. Chapter 21

Juvia and her group of volunteers reached Lyon's palace at dawn.

"We are just here to look for Prince Gray," Juvia explained, "not to confront the king. Do you understand? Juvia will be most displeased if any injuries occur because someone got too excited."

"Find the prince, don't worry about the king," said Natsu. "Got it."

Erza scowled. "And you'd better remember it, because her highness isn't the only one who'll be upset if you forget." The red-haired servant was wearing armor, and looked even more intimidating than usual.

"Scary," murmured Natsu, and all the volunteers shivered.

Juvia stepped onto the bridge, then had to jump back as Lyon's snow tiger leaped at her. It had been disguised as a pile of snow by the edge of the chasm.

Erza stepped in front of Juvia, and blocked the snow tiger's charge with her sword.

"Where are you hiding the prince?" yelled Natsu. He ran up and punched the tiger, apparently forgetting all about the sword he'd been provided with.

The other volunteers drew their weapons and joined in the fight, except for Duchess Minerva's guards.

"Look, Rogue!" the blond guard hissed, pulling his partner aside. "The king!"

Lyon was peering through his doors at the battle. He saw them watching him and backed away.

"Come on," said the blond. The two guards hurried across the bridge while everyone else was busy, and went inside.

"Sting! Up there!" The black-haired guard pointed up the stairs.

Lyon was running to the second floor. The guards chased after him, and trapped him in the room by the balcony.

"We got him!" crowed Sting. He raised his crossbow and fired at Lyon.

"No!" Lyon yelled. He ducked and flung his hand up. A wall of ice formed in front of him, stopping the arrow inches from his face.

"Go around!" ordered Sting, heading toward the right side of the wall.

Rogue nodded and went around the left side.

"Stay away!" Lyon shouted. He shot an ice attack at Rogue, who ducked back behind the ice wall.

Sting charged at Lyon, crossbow ready. "Get him!"

Lyon threw ice at him as well.

* * *

Outside, no one had yet noticed that the duchess' guards were missing. They were busy with the snow tiger.

Natsu seemed to be doing well, even without a weapon. He punched the tiger in the shoulder, throwing it off balance.

Erza slashed her sword at it, cutting off both legs on one side, then Juvia stepped up and tried to stab it with the spear she was using.

The snow tiger slid into the chasm, almost dragging the princess with it, but Juvia let go of the spear and grabbed on to the bridge. The volunteers rushed to pull her up.

"Hey, where'd the other two guys go?" Natsu asked, looking puzzled.

* * *

Rogue and Sting both rushed toward Lyon at the same time. But if they thought he couldn't take both of them at once, they thought wrong.

The King of Winter held one hand out toward each of them. Rogue was forced back to the wall as ice grew out of the floor, forming spikes. Sting was pushed up against the balcony doors by more ice, until the doors burst open and he tumbled out onto the balcony.

Rogue pressed himself against the wall as the sharp spikes got closer and closer to his throat.

Ice grew over the balcony, breaking the railing and pushing Sting nearer to the edge.

Juvia came running into the room and saw the king about to kill the guards. "King Lyon!" she cried. "Don't do this! Juvia knows you aren't a monster like they say!"

Lyon looked at her, startled. Then he glanced back at the guards and lowered his hands. The ice stopped its advance, and slowly began reversing. Lyon stared at Juvia, breathing hard. He tried not to think about what he'd almost done.

But with Lyon's attention elsewhere, Rogue lifted his crossbow and aimed at the king.

Juvia ran over and managed to knock the crossbow up just as he shot, and the arrow flew toward the ceiling, hitting the icy chandelier.

The chandelier broke loose and fell toward Lyon. He dove to get out of the way.

There was the sound of ice shattering all over the floor, and Princess Juvia screaming for someone to come help.

* * *

 **AN: I had some fun with the side characters here, like the way Natsu always seems to jump to conclusions for no apparent reason. (Natsu to vulcan: "Where are you hiding Macau?!")**

 **Juvia has a spear because I wanted a thrusting-only weapon, rather than one that could be used to slash as well. For reasons that shall be revealed later.**


	22. Chapter 22

When Lyon awoke, it took him a moment to figure out where he was. He didn't often visit the dungeon of the castle.

He got up from the bench-like bed and tried to go look out the barred window, only to be pulled up short. His wrists were attached to the wall by chains, and his hands were encased in metal like big, heavy mittens.

Lyon strained toward the window and caught a glimpse of Hargeon, frozen solid and buried under snow with more snow still falling. "What've I done?" he whispered, a stricken look on his face.

The door rattled as it was unlocked, and Princess Juvia entered.

"Why am I here?" Lyon demanded immediately.

"Juvia could not let them kill you. Locking you up was the only way to stop them."

"But I'm a danger to Hargeon. Where's Gray? Let me talk to him."

Juvia shook her head. "Prince Gray has not returned yet."

Lyon heard worry in her voice. He looked back toward the window. Gray was still out there, in the storm?

"King Lyon... Please stop the winter and bring back the summer," begged Juvia.

"I can't!" snapped Lyon, turning to look her in the eye. "If I knew how, don't you think I would've done it already? I have to leave. You have to let me go!"

Juvia paused, then nodded. She believed he was telling the truth. "Juvia will do what she can. Maybe she can convince them..." She left and shut the door behind her.

Lyon heard a crackling sound. He looked down. The metal around his hands was starting to freeze over.

The wind howled outside as the blizzard grew worse.

* * *

Rudy raced down the mountain toward Hargeon. Angel held Gray tightly as the reindeer swerved around trees. The prince was barely awake, and shivering constantly now.

Angel took her hat off and put it on his head, and her halo-like curl of hair stuck up again. "Hang in there," she murmured. "Just a little farther..."

Rudy ran faster.

The guards at the castle gate saw them coming. "It's Prince Gray! The prince is back!"

Rudy skidded to a stop at the gate, and Gray slid sideways. Angel couldn't keep him on the reindeer, but she managed to keep him from hitting the ground too hard. Then she got down from Rudy's back and tried to lift Gray so she could carry him to the gate.

Gray roused a little. "Angel... will you b-be okay?"

"I'll be fine," Angel reassured him. "Don't worry about me."

The gates opened, and Jellal and Erza came running out.

"Gray!" Erza shouted angrily. "Don't you know how worried we've been?!"

"Erza, the poor boy's freezing. You can lecture him later," said Jellal. He took Gray from Angel. "Here, I'll take care of him."

"Please get him warmed up, and find the princess right away," urged Angel.

"We will. Thank you," Jellal told her.

"I apologize, your highness," Erza said as they took Gray inside. "I should not have yelled at you. Please hit me for my penance."

"M-maybe later," mumbled Gray.

Angel backed up, allowing the guards to close the gates. "Be safe," she whispered, and then walked away toward the mountain with Rudy following her.

* * *

 **AN: The anime doesn't actually have that many instances where Erza apologizes like this, but when she does, it's funny.**


	23. Chapter 23

Princess Juvia was arguing with the Fioren officials, the people who helped run the kingdom. She wanted to go back out and look for Gray, but they would have none of it.

"But if something happens to Prince Gray..." Juvia trailed off, getting teary-eyed.

"Your highness, if something happens to you, Fiore will have no one to lead them. We cannot lose you, Princess."

Just then Erza came in without knocking. She ignored the officials' shocked expressions and said to someone behind her, "The princess is in here."

Jellal came in, half-carrying Gray, and in a moment Juvia was rushing over to hug the prince, repeating his name over and over. Jellal looked like he wanted to give them some space, but Gray still needed support to stand.

The officials excused themselves, and inched their way out the door around the happily sobbing princess.

"Prince Gray is so cold," said Juvia, calming down a bit.

"You have to k-kiss me," Gray blurted out desperately.

Juvia blushed and smiled shyly. "This is so sudden... Prince Gray does not mind the servants watching?"

"We'll leave," Jellal said quickly. He helped Gray get settled in a chair in front of the fireplace, then nudged Erza out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

As soon as the servants had gone, Juvia took a moment to look her fiance up and down. It was so good to have him back. An amused expression came over her face. "Prince Gray is wearing a butterfly shirt!" she giggled.

"Th-there wasn't m-much other choice," said Gray.

"Prince Gray's hat does not go with his coat," Juvia observed critically.

"Hat?" Gray felt his head. He pulled the hat off and stared at it. "I guess Angel p-put it on m-me..."

"Who is Angel?" Juvia asked, frowning. Visions of love rivals danced in her head, distracting her from the fact that most of Gray's hair was white now.

"She helped m-me out after L-Lyon struck me with his p-powers. We t-talked to her troll f-friends and they said m-my heart is f-frozen and only an act of true l-love can s-save me, s-so she b-brought m-me b-back here."

Jealousy flew right out of Juvia's mind, replaced by a slowly growing fury. "Juvia thought you said King Lyon would never hurt you..."

"I g-guess I was wrong." Gray started shivering harder, in spite of warmth from the fire. He pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around himself. "Are you g-going to k-kiss m-me yet?"

But Juvia didn't seem to hear him. "How dare King Lyon hurt Prince Gray! He has made Juvia angry. He must pay. Juvia will punish him for hurting her beloved prince!" She hurried to the door.

"W-wait! Juvia, no!" Gray stood up and tried to grab her arm, but he missed and fell to the floor.

Juvia reached the door and stormed through it, shutting it behind her. She dashed through the castle. "Do not worry, Prince Gray," she said to herself. "Juvia will do this for you."

She ducked as a window in the hall shattered, throwing shards of glass everywhere. The blizzard had gotten so bad, it was starting to tear the castle apart. Juvia headed for the dungeon.

* * *

Gray struggled to crawl over to the door. He had just reached it when the room's window flew open, letting in snow and a gust of wind that put the fire out.

Gray leaned against the door for a moment, shivering harder than ever. He was so cold it hurt. Then he heard crashing noises from the other side of the door. He pulled the door open and found a pile of debris blocking his way.

"No... Juvia d-don't hurt L-Lyon!" he tried to shout, but he knew she couldn't have heard him. Even if she was still within earshot, the storm would drown out his cries.


	24. Chapter 24

Lyon's cell was completely iced over by the time Juvia reached the dungeon. He heard her screaming threats as she tried to open the frozen door, and he jerked at his frost-covered chains.

Juvia called for some guards to force the door open for her, and Lyon pulled harder. There were loud cracking noises. Was it just the ice, or were the chains breaking too?

Lyon heard the guards smashing something against the door. He made one final effort, and the chains gave way. A part of the wall fell also, providing him with an unexpected but welcome escape route.

When the guards broke through the door a few minutes later, the floor was littered with broken iron, stone, and ice. The king was gone.

* * *

Angel trudged through the forest. Rudy was lagging behind, stopping often to look back. Finally he shook his head back and forth vigorously, then ran past Angel and stood in front of her. He snorted and tossed his head again.

"What is it, Rudy?" Angel asked, not really focused on him.

Rudy nudged her back a step with his antlers.

"Don't do that! What's wrong with you?"

The reindeer gave a couple of loud grunts and stared at her.

"I don't understand you when you talk like that." Angel tried to step around Rudy, not meeting his gaze.

Rudy scooped her up on his antlers, and she yelped, "Rudy, put me down!"

The reindeer dumped her on the ground and brayed at her. He looked back at Hargeon.

"We're not going back, Rudy. He's with the princess now, and they'll kiss and everything will be fine, and we'll all live happily ever after."

Rudy gave her a skeptical look.

Angel sighed. The wind picked up, blowing her hair around. She glanced back. The blizzard was getting worse. It was difficult to make out the castle now, but the shape of it seemed wrong.

"It looks all jagged... Oh no! Is it covered in ice? The king must have... Gray!" Angel flung herself onto Rudy's back, and the reindeer took off toward the castle.

* * *

Gray had stopped shivering. He was pretty sure that wasn't a good thing, but he couldn't worry about it now. Juvia was angry with Lyon, and who knew what she'd do to him. Gray couldn't just sit around waiting to freeze to death. He had to get out of here.

He slowly made his way over to the window. When he reached it, he saw that he could slide on frozen snow all the way to the ground. As long as he didn't hit any icicles, that is. The prince swung his leg over the window sill, unaware that his hair was completely white now.


	25. Chapter 25

Lyon ran through the blizzard. He would go far away from Hargeon, maybe even leave Fiore entirely. The wind blew snow in his face, but he kept going.

* * *

Gray staggered away from the castle. He had to find Juvia before she found Lyon, but he was lost in a world of blinding white, his hands were turning blue, and his time was running out.

* * *

On the other side of the bay, Angel rode Rudy through the storm, heading out across the frozen water. The reindeer struggled across the icy waves, weaving around frozen ships that gave off cracking sounds. The force of the storm was shifting the ice, and it started to move the ships.

One ship was forced upward, and it keeled over on its side. Rudy carried Angel safely through falling debris, and they made it out of the way before the ship crashed down. But the ice broke under the ship's impact, and Rudy just managed to toss Angel off his back before slipping into the water.

"Rudy!" Angel stood at the edge of the ice, looking anxiously for the reindeer. A moment later he surfaced. "Good boy," sighed Angel, relieved.

Rudy snorted at her as if telling her to go find Gray.

* * *

Lyon didn't realize how nervous he was until a shadow loomed up near him, giving him a jolt. It was the princess.

"King Lyon, don't run away!"

Lyon backed away. "I have to. I just want my brother to be safe."

"Shut up!" cried Juvia. "Prince Gray came back from the mountain, weak and cold, and said Lyon froze his heart! If he dies, Juvia will never forgive you!"

"What? N-no..." Lyon's voice shook. Gray couldn't die, he just couldn't. The blizzard suddenly stopped, snowflakes suspended in mid-air. The king fell to his knees.

Gray could see now. Angel was running towards him. Gray was about to stumble to meet her, but then he heard Juvia.

"You must be punished!"

He spun around awkwardly and saw Juvia with a spear in hand. She lifted it in the air, aiming at the king. Lyon just knelt there in front of her, his grief clouding his senses.

"Lyon!" Without a second thought, Gray threw himself across the intervening distance. His numb legs somehow held out long enough for him to leap in front of Juvia as she brought the spear down.

In that instant, he froze solid. The spear struck him and broke.

Lyon, Juvia, and Angel all stared at Gray, who stood with his arms crossed in front of him in an X shape, defending his brother.

Juvia collapsed, wailing. "No, no! Prince Gray, come back! Juvia is sorry!"

Rudy quietly came up beside Angel and tucked his head under her arm. She blinked away tears.

"Gray... No..." Lyon stood up, and stared for a moment longer. Then he walked up to the ice statue and hugged it from behind. He laid his head on Gray's cold shoulder, shaking with silent sobs.

* * *

 **AN: Finally, the reason I gave Juvia a spear. I didn't want her slashing at Lyon here, because then Gray wouldn't be as likely to block it with crossed arms. In my original mental image of Gray saving Lyon, Gray has his arms crossed in the Iced Shell stance. But it occurred to me that sometimes the wizards block stuff with their forearms crossed in front of their faces, and I liked that stance too. So you're welcome to choose whichever one you like better, or make up your own idea of what it looks like.**


	26. Chapter 26

Angel suddenly gasped. "He's thawing!"

Lyon raised his head. Gray wobbled for a moment, then fell back against him, no longer made of ice. His hair had returned to its original color as well.

"Gray? Why did you do it?" asked Lyon, holding his brother up.

Gray smiled weakly. "I love you too much to let you die, idiot."

"I see," said Angel. "Only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart."

"Love... can thaw?" Lyon blinked at her.

Angel frowned. "Why are you staring at me?"

Lyon pulled Gray to his feet and hurried over to one of the frozen ships. "Come on, get on board!" he called to the girls.

Juvia was still sniffling, but she and Angel climbed onto the deck of the ship. Rudy bounded up to join them.

Then Lyon grinned and lifted his arms. The ice and snow all around them began to disappear. The ship beneath them started rocking as the bay unfroze, and soon all the other ships were free as well, though the one that had nearly fallen on Angel and Rudy sank. Before long, Hargeon had been returned to summer.

"Juvia is ashamed of the way she has acted," said the Princess, kneeling in front of Gray and Lyon. "Juvia humbly apologizes and begs your forgiveness."

Lyon exchanged a look with Gray, then smiled at Juvia. "We forgive you."

"But I'm still breaking off the engagement," added Gray.

Juvia sighed in disappointment. "Juvia understands. She will return to Bosco."

"You could stay a while longer, if you want," said Lyon.

Gray grinned. "Yeah, you don't have to go right away. You'd miss the celebration."

"Celebration?" Lyon repeated in a puzzled tone.

"You've learned how to control your powers. Isn't that something to celebrate?"

"Well..." Lyon looked at his brother for a moment. "Oh, all right. I suppose we can have another party."

* * *

The king stood in the middle of his courtyard, which was filled with joyful townspeople. "Are you all ready?" he called.

Cheers greeted this question, and Lyon stomped his foot, freezing the ground to form an ice rink. While the villagers started skating around on it and enjoying themselves, the king froze the fountains. This time the frozen water looked magnificent.

Gray came slipping across the ice and almost crashed into Lyon. Lyon snickered and grabbed Gray's sleeve to keep him from falling.

"I like having the gates open," said Gray, hanging on to Lyon as his feet tried to slide out from under him.

"We are never closing them again," Lyon replied, and formed a pair of frozen ice skates around Gray's feet.

"Lyon, you know I can't skate," Gray complained.

Lyon laughed. "Come on, it's not as bad as dancing, is it?" He started gently pulling Gray across the rink.

Gray wobbled, his face stiff with concentration. "No, it's worse." But he decided to humor Lyon and let his brother try to teach him.

"Juvia has it..." There was a thud. "Oof... Juvia doesn't have it."

Gray looked over and saw Angel helping Juvia skate.

"Try again, I know you can do it," said Angel encouragingly. She glanced over at Gray, who had somehow managed to lose his shirt again. "Even the stripping prince is making an attempt, see?"

That settled it for Gray. He was going to learn to skate even if it killed him. Lyon saw the determined look in his eyes and snickered again.

* * *

It was almost nightfall, but there was still one thing left to do. Gray ran through the streets of Hargeon, dragging a blindfolded Angel behind him.

"Slow down a bit!" panted Angel.

Gray laughed. "What, you think I'm gonna let you run into something?"

"I can't help but wonder..."

"Well, you can stop worrying. We're here." Gray stopped and pushed her to stand in just the right spot, then took the blindfold off her. "This... is for you."

Angel opened her eyes to see the sleekest, most fabulous sled in all of Fiore, painted with angel wings. "I... I can't accept this!"

"You have to," said Gray, smirking. "Lyon's orders. He's named you the official Ice Master."

"That's not an actual thing!" Angel snorted, but her eyes never left the sled.

"Sure it is. Look, we even made medallions for you." As Rudy stepped up beside the sled, proudly showing off his shiny new necklace, Gray hung a matching one around Angel's neck. It was engraved with the words _Ice Master of Fiore_. "Well? Do you like the sled?"

Angel gave Gray an astonished look. "No, stupid. Of course I don't like it. I love it! I could just kiss you!"

"Heh..." Gray blushed. "Let's not get too hasty..."

Angel chuckled and backhanded him lightly. "I was kidding. Put your clothes back on and I'll give you a ride in my new sled."

~The End.~

* * *

 **AN: Lyon can't ice skate any more than he can dance, but he has no problem walking on the ice without slipping.**


	27. Casting Notes

Ul as Queen - Who better to play Lyon and Gray's mother? And she dies. Enough said. Well, I also think she'd do her best to help Lyon control his powers and not be afraid of them. It's not her fault that he doesn't learn properly.

Silver as King - The king is not in the story. Yes, I still cast him. He died years ago before the story begins.

Lyon as Elsa, Gray as Anna - Elsa obviously needed to be played by someone with ice powers, and the ice boys are pretty much like brothers anyway. Just had to decide which was which, and that wasn't too hard. Lyon is older and his hair is close to the same color as Elsa's, and Gray's black hair shows the white from ice spells better. Let's see... was there anything else? Lyon doesn't strip because he's too self-conscious about his magic and stuff... Gray's stubbornness about bringing Lyon home is understandable, considering that Fairy Tail wizards don't give up on their friends easily... There's probably other things that make them perfect for their roles, but I can't remember them.

Juvia as Hans - First step is to find someone that could believably end up engaged to Gray within a day. Juvia would jump up and start waving her hand before you could finish calling for volunteers. Since Gray doesn't really dislike her, he'd only be a tiny bit out of character. Or not at all, according to some Fairy Tail fans. Next, Hans is supposed to end up the bad guy, but it doesn't fit for Juvia to suddenly start laughing in Gray's face and say she's been lying to him all along. However, I can see her getting upset if someone hurt Gray, and deciding to go punish them without thinking over it much.

Angel as Kristoff - I have no strong reasons for this choice. Why not someone else instead? Lucy for example: nothing wrong with her, she'd be fine as Kristoff. It's just, she gets used a lot because she's a main character... I'd say overused. And I hate following the trend if I can do something innovative. So I went looking for other possibilities and realized that there's largely unexplored Gray x Angel potential. Even if this isn't a romance story, I like the interaction between those two. And I like Angel, antagonist or not.

Minerva as Duke (Duchess), Sting and Rogue as guards - I actually had Levy as the duchess at first, because she's short. She was gamely playing villain for me, but she's just too sweet and it wasn't working. So I changed it to this. She goes better with her guards now as well. The guards could have been Jet and Droy, but I never liked the idea, so they were always Sting and Rogue.

Trolls - Gramps, the old troll, is not Makarov exactly, but there's at least a strong resemblance. The other trolls are not anyone specifically.

Jellal, Erza, Natsu, Lucy, Gajeel as side characters - I like the background characters to be familiar faces. Sometimes it even gives me opportunities to add interesting things to the story, such as Gray's theory that Joan of Arc was Erza's ancestor.

Olaf, played by nobody - Olaf is good for a few laughs, but he does almost nothing important, other than helping Anna after Hans locks her in. Gray's situation is slightly different, and he can handle himself. Oh, and I guess Olaf leads Anna to Elsa's ice palace, but I don't think it would've been that hard to find without him. And I don't like Olaf. Some have described him as cute, but I do not see it. So, I'm very sorry, but no Olaf or any equivalent.

It has been suggested to me that Gray and Natsu ought to have their magic too, and I admit it would be interesting. But anyone besides Lyon having magic would force me to alter the story drastically, and that's way more work than I wanted to do.


End file.
